


Warmth of Bond

by goalielove43



Series: Nest with the Best [2]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Condoms, Goalie Nesting (Hockey RPF), M/M, Multi, NHL RPF, Vegas Golden Knights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:14:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25206793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goalielove43/pseuds/goalielove43
Summary: Months passed him by in much the same fashion they had before. Things came and went and changed just as they would anywhere else. And yet... they somehow still stayed much the same. Even Lehner's arrival didn't herald the change Flower thought it would, at least not as significantly as he'd hoped. Their team still chose to decline choosing a Captain, some drive from above telling them they had no need for one because the whole team was full of Captains.
Relationships: Marc-Andre Fleury/Robin Lehner
Series: Nest with the Best [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825990
Comments: 4
Kudos: 61





	Warmth of Bond

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo maybe I fell in love with the goalie nesting thing. (Go figure, the person with goalielove in their name falls in love with a goalie trope, right? HA) Anywhere, here's my next brave attempt at continuing the storyline for Flower. (And further research yielded an article that the Golden Knights will not have a Captain... so apologies for anything happening before that shouldn't have. I think it still works except the Assistant Captain thing. Whoops!)

Months passed him by in much the same fashion they had before. Things came and went and changed just as they would anywhere else. And yet... they somehow still stayed much the same. Even Lehner's arrival didn't herald the change Flower thought it would, at least not as significantly as he'd hoped. Their team still chose to decline choosing a Captain, some drive from above telling them they had no need for one because the whole team was full of Captains. 

In theory, that was fine and a great outlook, but in practice, it meant they all felt like they were head-to-head time and time again. If they were all Captain, they all had final decision. For a bunch of guys all used to looking to someone for the final word, to going to someone when something was wrong, it left them either listless or far too headstrong. Management couldn't see it, but Flower felt it as though he were being kicked around in an ocean, drowning and then treading water, over and over into eternity. 

It took a mere four weeks before Lehner went into his first nest and no amount of persuasion from Flower yielded him any answers as to if his fellow goalie had anyone to nest with. He tried to find him: went to his home, called his phone, texted, hit up a few former teammates to see where Robin liked to nest. The later yielded a string of phone calls a mile wide trying to find anyone who knew anything about Robin's nesting at all. By the time he found answers, Robin was back in the locker room with them.

The answer had been: Robin doesn't nest, does he? A solid repeating sentiment, voiced over and over by dozens of old teammates, going all the way back to Juniors. 

Robin came back and it was like staring at a shadow of who he'd been before. He looked exhausted, his skin pale, dark circles under his eyes. No one addressed it and Flower found himself angry by the end of practice. Angry his own nest hadn't been addressed beyond a single snarky comment about how he just _had_ to choose one of the league's star-boys and angry that no one was asking Lehner if he was okay. 

He remained behind on the ice when Robin did, feeling the truth in his lingering at the net. He'd nested and he'd probably done it without a net. _Alone_. That thought pinged off everything inside Flower and he skated back to him after making sure the last of the guys were off the ice, gliding to a stop outside Robin's crease. He watched his gaze flicker to his skates, to the paint, then up along his body and finally to his eyes. 

"I tried to find you, no one would tell me where you went." Flower let the sadness of the statement permeate the words. There was no way he was letting Robin think he hadn't truly looked. "I called half the world trying to find out where you normally nest but it seems no one knows. Maybe... tell me? For next time? Even if you don't want anyone there, at least I can drop stuff off for you."

Something shifted in Robin's face and he looked away, gazing out across the ice, sadness shimmering just under the surface. It became a string, the tension wound up tight between them, connecting them and when it snapped, Flower actually raised his hand to his chest to rub at it.

"My house has an attic. I went there." There was something lost in Lehner's voice, almost as though it wasn't even him speaking anymore. "I didn't want to. Wanted to be here, with my net. But I'm not aggressive when I nest, so staff just chased me away and the way I get... there was nothing I could do about it. It feels like resignation when I start. I let myself be directed, moved around at everyone else's whim until I can't convince myself to do a single thing. Not even move unless someone tells me to. Sometimes it feels like I won't come out of it all, that I'll just die there. Wherever I end up lying when I stop being able to move."

Flower felt weak. Sad. Horribly upset in a way he couldn't entirely contain. He slid into the circle before he could stop himself and wrapped his arms around Robin, touching his cage to Lehner's. "Tell me when you start next time. Please. I want to be there, to help. Even if you're not on this team anymore by then... no matter what. Okay?"

Robin took in a shaky breath and closed his eyes. Just when Flower thought he wouldn't answer, the faintest whisper of, "Thank you," told him the truth. 

Lehner didn't want to be alone. He never had.

\---

The call came the same day the season ended. He'd just gotten home and dumped all his shit in the front hall when his phone began to ring. He dug it out and one glance at the name provided enough information for him to hastily answer it. Robin didn't call him. Sure, he texted once in a while, but he hadn't called since the four second hang-up to provide his phone number after their conversation on ice.

Flower answered, his hands already gathering back up his overnight bag and slipping it onto his shoulder as he spoke. "Robin?"

The line was quiet for a while, almost so quiet that Flower thought perhaps he'd been pocket dialed, and then there was the shift of material and Robin's shaky voice. "It's happening... again. Too soon. I won't... I can't."

"Where are you?" A switch flipped inside Flower, directing him to do whatever was needed to fix this situation. Nothing about those words gave him confidence things would be okay without him. 

"Parking lot at the rink."

Swallowing thickly, Flower headed deeper into his home. "Alright, are you in your car?"

"Yes."

"I have a key for the rink. Make sure you leave your door unlocked for me and I'll be there as soon as I can get back there, okay?"

Robin made some sort of sound and a few seconds later the call ended. Flower high-tailed it through his place, grabbing the biggest rolling suitcase he had and stuffing it with all the bedding he could manage and a few soft sets of clothing. On the off-chance, he grabbed lube and condoms and crammed them in his other bag, not sure what Robin would need. Knowing he couldn't rely on anyone else in his situation, he packed up bottles of water and sports drinks and protein powder and some non-perishable food items until his second bag was full to bursting.

In the car, he called Alex. It was all he could think to do. Someone had to know where he disappeared to and one of the few people on the team he could have trusted was the one who needed him most. 

Ovie's voice came across the line, a little groggy, but clearly pleased to hear from him. "Ah, precious Flower."

He huffed out a small laugh, something fond crackling in the air at the mere thought of Ovie's warmth, his concern, his smile. He let himself be weighted with it for a moment before saying what he needed to. "Lehner's nesting for the second time in less than two months. He's been alone until this time and I'm going to him. Didn't know who to tell where I'm going to, but... if it triggers me to nest, I don't know what to do. If we don't surface in a week - if you don't hear back from me - send someone to our arena. I'm headed there now and intend to get him to the back storage room where they keep a spare net. I've brought everything I could think of on short notice, but I'd feel safer if someone knew where we were."

"I come." 

It sounded so simple and for one fleeting moment, it felt like the best idea in the world. Except... this wasn't for Flower. It wasn't his nest and while he desperately wanted to see Ovie, it wasn't the time. "While I want to see you with every fiber of my being, it's not my nest. He probably wouldn't let you in."

"Even if I am yours?"

"Not my nest, Ovie... it's his. His terms. When this is done, if it's okay, I'd like to come see you."

"Yes. Tell me when and I be right here."

"A week or so maybe?"

"Yes!" Ovie sounded delighted and Flower smiled to himself as he neared the arena. "I'm almost back at the rink, so I'm gonna go, but... remember back equipment room if I can make it that far with him, okay? I don't know how far gone he'll be."

"I remember."

Flower ended the call with a quiet goodbye and pulled into the parking garage. He found Robin's car and got out, carefully extracting all the stuff he needed first and then going to Robin, tapping on the window and then opening the door cautiously. He knew Robin said he was docile, but if he'd never nested with someone, it was possible he didn't actually know how he'd react to someone if he was too far in.

It turned out it was as simple as murmuring Robin's name and holding out his hand. He was warm and his eyes glassy, like he wasn't quite all there. Remembering a few articles he'd read about Lehner, Flower gestured at his car. "If you have spare meds, get them and show me which ones you take daily."

It took a bit for Robin to really react, but he crawled back in the car and got back out with his bag, squatting and creating a small disaster of items across the pavement before holding out a pill caddy. It had five days of pills left in it sorted by AM and PM. "What time in the AM?"

"... Seven."

"And at night?"

Robin sort of hazed out a little and gestured toward the arena. 

"After the game?" Flower was just guessing here, but Robin nodded so he did some quick math and then tucked the caddy into his pocket. He knelt and waved his hand at the mess before starting to stuff it back into Robin's bag. "Help?" He was gentle with it, unwilling to command Robin to do anything in this state. He could be forceful during training all he wanted, but here, he knew he had to be careful. If Robin said he was easily manipulated, the last thing Flower wanted to do was take advantage of that in any way that benefitted him instead of Lehner. 

It took a bit to get it all cleaned up, Robin helping, though slowly, one item at a time, examined and then placed in the bag and sometimes he'd take one out that Flower put in so he could stare at it before putting it back. Flower took the bag and put it over Robin's shoulder and dug out his key for the rink. "C'mon, time to get you to a net, okay? I know of a safe one I think."

Robin followed easily, just trailing along behind Flower as though completely lost without him. It reminded Flower of penguins and their young and he had a momentary pang of sadness for his past team as he unlocked the door to a rink that felt like anything but home.

The alarms hadn't been set yet, which was a blessing since he'd have had to make a break for it halfway across the rink to get to the stupid alarm panel. But there was no soft beep when the door opened, so it seemed they were in the clear on that at least. He led them deep into the hallways of the arena to the back storage room, which was blessedly just as unlocked as it had been the day Flower found it. The instant they were inside, Robin was off like a shot, right for the net. He crouched in front of it, his bag forgotten on the floor between him and the door. 

Flower picked up the bag and settled it on some boxes by the door. He opened the suitcase full of fluffy things and pushed it toward Robin with the soft instruction of, "Build your nest, you'll be happier if you do it."

Robin began to pluck through the items in the suitcase, piling them in seemingly random piles as Flower got all their snacks set up within reasonable range and got his own meds out and placed them with Robin's beside the waters. He wrapped the lube and condoms in a t-shirt and put them close but not within plucking range, just in case it offended Robin somehow. Flower knew not all goalies needed that intimacy while others craved it, needed it to feel whole and glue themselves back together during a nest.

He changed into the more comfortable clothing while Robin was busy with the nest and laid out the other set of clothing for him just in case he wanted it when he was done. After all, a suit felt like a hell of a way to try to nest.

Flower carefully draped his own suit over some boxes and picked up Robin's discarded jacket, smoothing it out and putting it with his own.

Nearly an hour passed before Robin seemed content with the nest and noticed the clothing, simply standing and staring at it. 

"I thought you might be more comfortable in something soft. Up to you."

The words seemed to jerk him into action and he began stripping, his movements hasty, efficient until he got to the part where he'd have hung them up and then he just dropped them on the floor. Flower retrieved each garment and put them with his own, waiting until Robin had settled back into his makeshift crease before he carefully approached the net. "Can I come sit with you or do you prefer me over where I was? Either is fine with me."

Robin's hand shot out and he hauled Flower in, shuffling him into the nest and then crowding in with him, leaving them both in the nest, Robin crouching and Flower semi-sprawled beside him. He gave him a bemused look and settled himself. 

It took a few hours before Robin stopped actively guarding his crease, finally slinking into the fluffy nest he'd made and settling in the corner. He closed his eyes and hunkered down and Flower studied him from under drowsy eyelids, seeing that he was very clearly putting himself into position to sleep for a while.

Time seemed indifferent inside the storage room. Nothing told Flower how long he'd been sleeping or what time it might have been outside the bowels of the arena, but he knew instantly what had woken him. Small distressed sounds were coming from just outside the net. Flower pushed back the draping of his largest comforter and slid out to find Robin crouched next to the food, his back to him.

"Robin," Flower ventured, his voice gentle. "Show me what you need."

He stood, clutching something to his chest, and came to Flower, kneeling and holding out his pill box. 

Flower smiled at him. "Good. Is it time then?" At Robin's nod, Flower manipulated the latch on the AM slot and let Robin dump the contents out into his own hand, watching as he rooted around in the pills and then put them in his mouth. He didn't immediately swallow and Flower got up and quickly grabbed a water, cracking it open and holding it out. "Swallow them with this." Robin took the bottle and began to gulp water down.

With that settled, Flower put the caddy back next to his own, opening his and extracting his medication as well, opening a sports drink and taking a few sips to wash it all down. He settled back on his heels and watched Robin pace back and forth in front of the net, his shoulders hunched, a small throw wrapped around him. He'd stop every third pass and whine, loud and clear, almost a wail and then he'd resume pacing and it struck Flower how much it felt like he was crying out for someone to care for him.

Determination pulled Flower to his feet, put him in Robin's path and he opened his arms when he came back toward him, unsurprised when Robin walked right into his arms and tucked himself against him, the volume of his sad sounds going down significantly as Flower wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm here. Anything you need or want. I've got you through this, okay? You don't have to be alone anymore."

Almost immediately Flower had all of Lehner's weight and he barely managed to get the back into the nest, dragging Robin to straddle him, having to murmur instructions to him to get him into position. He cupped his cheek and studied him once he had him wavering slightly on his lap. "Do you need me to do all the directing through this?" Robin nodded and Flower hummed softly. "There's one thing I cannot direct you for. You'll need to show me what you want, if you want that, okay?" Robin made a soft little chirp sound, almost like a question, and Flower reached for the t-shirt, pulling it toward them and unwrapping it, showing him the supplies. "Not everyone needs it... but I did when I nested with Ovie. If you need it, I'm right here. Perfectly willing. If not, that's fine, too."

Robin shifted on his lap, squirmed and stared at the condom and lube until he was outright panting, rocking against Flower's thighs, whimpering lightly.

Flower brushed his hand through Robin's hair, tilting his head. Ovie's words to him echoed in his mind, the gentle flow of how much they'd meant to him in those burning moments. _Need you to take what you need._ He woke sometimes in the early hours of the morning, those words whispering across his skin, the memory of how much he'd needed that and everything that had followed filling him to the brim. He took his version of the words and breathed them against Robin's ear. "I want you to show me what you need. You direct, I follow."

Lehner arched against him, trembling, straining, and then he was shoving at Flower's shirt, yanking at his own, a massive confusion of movements that Flower had to sort out for them both as Robin reached for and yanked on random pieces of clothing, grappling with things that seemed like too much for him to fully process how to do in his current state. Flower felt that, he really did. Everything had seemed overwhelming, insurmountable, when he'd been in the fog of his nesting. Like every task was too much, too big for him to fully grasp. It was why he had vivid memories of standing in the locker room restroom until Ovie chose for him what he was going to do and moved him to the urinal. He needed so much and all at once and he'd been unable to choose.

Flower calmed Robin's hands and lifted his own shirt over his head, discarding it and then reaching for Robin's, smiling when he lifted his arms to help. He shifted them, eased Robin off his lap and onto his back and got his pants off, finding he'd foregone any undergarment. His cock was full, resting against his hip, thick and hard, and yeah, Flower definitely wanted this with his fellow goalie. 

He stood and shucked his own pants and jockeys down in one movement, discarding them and settling back how he'd been, patting his lap. "You can come back if you want to. Show me what you need again."

But Robin tugged, yanked on his hand as he arched from the bedding and thrust against the air, his cock straining out from his body, leaving a sticky strand between his hip and the tip of his prick. He reached for the lube and condoms, suspecting what was about to happen, bringing them with him as Robin tugged and pushed and got him to straddle him. The first brush of Lehner's dick against his hole left Flower shivering, biting his lower lip.

He shifted, opening the lube and pouring some on his fingers, reaching back to rub them over his hole, watching Robin watch him. He pushed two inside and sighed pleasantly, the experience very normal for him aside from actually straddling someone to do it. He generally settled for a toy or his fingers with the exception of the special thing he'd had with Ovie. He recalled how much he treasured that memory and he smiled softly at Robin, determined to make another special memory, this one for him and Robin to treasure. 

He pulled his fingers free when he was satisfied with the stretch and rolled a condom down over Robin's cock, shifting to where he could be taken very easily and then waited. "Show me what you need," he whispered and Robin _cooed_ at him, a light little sound that sparked awareness along Flower's every nerve, and then Robin was pushing up into him, filling him with his cock, and Flower settled down into it, letting it open him up, letting Robin stretch him open, his own dick aching with the absolute pleasure of being taken.

His toes curled as Robin began to move under him, short little jerks of his hips measured in the way Robin panted. Soon enough the pants became whines and Flower got the idea that he needed more than he was getting, but when he tried to roll them over, Robin resisted and so Flower settled for starting to ramp the pace up himself, watching Robin's features ease into pure bliss, feeling him buck with him as he rode him.

It felt like it could go on forever, their pace steady and easy, nothing driving them toward a necessary end, and it did go on for a very long time before Robin suddenly arched and remained still, his cock starting to pulse inside Flower's body. He was utterly quiet, but the look on his face said everything for him. He was happy, content, relaxed in a way Flower hadn't seen him since he'd joined the team and it meant the world that he could bring him such feelings. It was an honor and a complete pleasure and it triggered Flower's own orgasm.

He hunkered over Robin, his hips giving short little jerks as he came all over Robin's belly, little sighs and moans leaving him as he emptied himself.

When he felt able to move again, he shifted off of him, removed the condom and discarded it somewhere off to the side to deal with later, ensuring it was far out of the nest.

He let Robin fuss over him then, allowed him to bring him a drink and then the protein powder, watching attentively as Flower made two in the water bottles he'd brought, shaking them up and handing one over to Robin with a quiet comment of, "You should drink this."

It was companionable after that, Robin settling in close to him when he chose to sit, pacing with less distress than before when he chose to guard the net. His shoulders weren't hunched and he accepted it when Flower would move around. Even a trip to the restroom and back, both of them slinking through the dark halls was utterly uneventful. 

Pills were given out and snacks were had and when it came time to nap, Robin didn't retreat to his side of the net, instead he hunkered next to Flower and accepted the arm around him with ease. 

Things continued like that for two more days, Robin seeming to know when he needed his pills and Flower happy to adhere to his schedule as his didn't have to be taken at stern points in time. They worked together to clean the nest meticulously a few times and Robin only kicked him out when he felt the need to prowl around inside the net, reforming the covers there, and then he'd come and get him, escort him back in.

They didn't have sex again, but it seemed that the act had cemented Robin's trust in Flower's presence and things were so much easier after that. He _felt_ when it was okay to do or say something, knew inherently he had consent to take them to the restroom or for a meander around the corridor to stretch their legs and when he absolutely did not. He knew when to leave Robin to hunker alone in front of the net and when to pull him back inside and cuddle him to sleep.

It was probably somewhere midway through the day when Robin pulled away from him and ventured out of the net but simply stood there, rubbing his hands over his arms and staring at it instead of patrolling that Flower got the idea he was coming out of it.

"It's easier if you let yourself be comforted while you're coming out still, I think. I mean, I only have the one experience, but... it seemed nice that way."

Robin sat in front of the net, eyes less cloudy than they had been in days and he finally gave a nod of consent that allowed Flower to ease out of the nest and come to sit with him, hip to thigh touching and his arm looped around Lehner's shoulders. He occasionally leaned in and nuzzled at his hair or rubbed at his shoulder affectionately and Robin leaned into the touches as though he wanted them.

The bond wasn't as bright anymore, Flower couldn't just automatically know what Robin did and didn't want, but he could hedge his way around it easier. Shift and know if it was right or wrong. They hovered there in a sleepy sort of silence until Robin finally broke their silence.

"Thank you..." he was quiet for a moment and Flower sensed he wasn't done, waiting on him to continue. "For coming."

"I told you I would. I meant it. Thank you for trusting me enough to call me."

They sat there for another hour or so before Robin stood and began breaking down the nest, carefully putting things back into the still-open suitcase Flower had brought it all packed in. Flower let him do that part while he cleaned up the rest, knowing how important it was to some goalies to construct and deconstruct their nests. 

He made another protein shake for Robin and drank a Vitamin Water for himself, using the empty bottle for the dirty condom. He made another patrol of the room to ensure they weren't leaving shit behind that they shouldn't and then gathered up their suits and everything else and led the way to the locker rooms.

They showered in the dark, neither willing to brave the light switch and Flower left his phone to charge in his stall, glad they hadn't cleaned everything out just yet. The team would do that in a week or so, come in for one final meet and clean it all out. Enough time to sulk in their lack of a trophy and be at least somewhat chipper again before seeing one another. Or at least that was what he'd always assumed the wait was all about.

He finished his shower first and one glance at Robin told him he could go get dressed, so he headed out, toweled off, and carefully got his suit back on. By the time Robin came out, Flower was texting Ovie to let him know the nesting period was done and they were going to try to escape the rink.

Ovie texted back almost immediately and Flower just knew he'd been waiting on the contact. 

_I ask guy who bring your bag when here. He leave alarm off for you. Can just go without worry. I tell you gone and he good to lock up._

Flower smiled and texted back his thanks, tacking on a silly heart emoji in red and white before turning off his screen and glancing up to find Robin watching him, fully dressed.

"Ovie." It wasn't a question and Flower just smiled in acknowledgement. "You always look a certain way when you text him. Now I understand."

Flower nodded. "It's a special bond. It feels... bright. Like a lifeline no matter how far away he may be."

Robin touched his chest and looked away, rubbing at it and sighing. "It's here... with us. I can almost sense it."

"It'll grow stronger the more we interact. I think... that's the point of it. Support when we need it the most."

Robin was quiet as he went back to his stall, getting his shoes on, and then, keys in hand, he stood and studied Flower. "Thank you."

"Every time. Even if you go somewhere else, I'm here. I mean it."

Something like a smile hedged into Robin's eyes and it finally reached his mouth, gently curving it. "Yeah... same. If you ever can't get to him, you know? I'll... be your backup."

Flower almost coughed out the laugh that wanted out, the little tiny joke in the midst. "Not backup. Alternate. It's better than backup."

They shared a smile and Flower gestured toward the door. "Ovie had our equipment guy leave the alarm off, we can go."

They gathered the stuff and together they left the rink. They parted ways at their cars and while Flower physically watched Robin drive away, he didn't feel him leave, and the weight of it was familiar. It settled with its twin deep inside him and he felt warm with it.


End file.
